Well-tube.



PATENTED MAR. 5, 1907.

A. L. MEDLOCK.

WELL TUBE.

APPLIGATLON FILED AUG.4,1906.

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AUGUSTUS LAFAYETTE MEDLOCK, OF MIDLAND, TEXAS.

WELL-TUBE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 5, 1907.

Application filed August 4, 1906. Serial No. 329,205.

To a/ZZ Lul/1,0717, it T11/wy concern.-

Beit known that I, AUGUSTUS LAFAYETTE MEDLOCK, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Midland, in the county of Midland and State or' Texas, have invented newand use'lul improvements in Well-Tubes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to well-pumps, and particularly to a suction attachment i'or use in conjunction with the strainers of pumps of that character wherein a piston is operatively arranged within an outrlow-pipe having an automatically-closing bottom check-valve opened by the suction produced upon the upward movement ol the piston to allow water from the well to flow into the outflowpipe to be discharged upon the subsequent upstroke or' the piston and wherein a strainer tube or pipe is employed at the bottom of the well to prevent sand and other foreign particles from entering the well-tubing with the oil or other liquid to be pumped, the present device being designed as an improvement upon the suction attachment shown in the prior application of A. L. Medlook,iiled Qctober 16, 1905, Serial No. 282,953.

In pumps of this type now in use the strainer is connected directly with the outiiow-pipe and is in direct communication therewith, a construction that has been found to be objectionable for many reasons, among them the tendency of the water being sucked only from the upper portion of the strainer, resulting in a resistance being established to the inl'low of the water from the lower waterbearing stratum. As a consequence there is but a partial depletion of the contents of the strainer at each stroke of the piston, an imperfect liow from the bearing strata, and a restricted action oi the pump, whereby its pumping capacity is unduly limited.

In the aforementioned, application, Serial N o. 282,953, a suction device is shown which is adapted to be attached to and arranged within the strainer in such manner as to cause the latter to be nearly, ii not entirely, emptied of its contents Vupon each working stroke of the piston and to thereby cause an equal and free flow from the portions of the bearing stratum and an increase in the working capacity oi the pump.

The present invention has for its object to provide an improved construction oi' suction device which is readily adapted for application to strainers of different lengths and to all of the several types of strainers now in use and which may be more readily applied and removed.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of the novel features oi construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section of a well-pump embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a siinilarsection, on an enlarged scale, through the coupled sections of the suctiontube. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the upper end of the suction-tube.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 represents the outilow-pipe, within which is arranged a oylin der 2, terminating at its lower end above the lower end of the outilow-pipe, the said lower end of the cylinder having a reduced tapered or frusto-conical extremity 3, serving as a seat-support for the cage 4 of a bottom check-valve 4', normally held closed by a spring 5 and adapted to be opened by the suction produced upon the upward movement of the piston tor the upward flow of water into the outflow-pipe. Operating in the cylinder above the valve is a valved piston 6, the valve 7 oi which is normally held seated by the valve-closing spring S. The piston is connected with the piston-rod 9, which extends to the surface through the outflow-pipe and may be operated by any preferred type of actuating mechanism. Upon the downward movement of the piston the valve 7 opens under the pressure of the water below to allow the water to flow through the piston into the upper end ofthe cylinder and the outiiouepipe, the water being elevated and discharged upon the ensuing upstroke of the piston,

The strainer tube or pipe l() maybe of any construction in ordinary use and is provided with an outwardly-flared or swaged upper end 10, inserted within and irictionall'y engaging the outiiow pipe. Within the strainer-tube is arranged a suction-tube 11., shown in the present instance as composed of upper and lower sections 11a and 11D, eX- ternally threaded at their proximate ends and united by a threaded coupling-sleeve 12. Clamped between the suction-tube sections is a plug 13, externally threaded to engage the sleeve and provided with a port or pas- ICO sagebl and a gripping bail or portion 15. The suction-tube is or sufficiently smaller diameter than the strainer to leave an interposed passage of adequate area to allow water to freely enter the strainer and i'low to the inlet end ol the suction-tube. The suction-tube terminates at its lower end within'the strainer a short distance above the bottom or the latter and is provided at its upper end with an outwardly-dared or 'lrustoconical mouth or coupling portion 16, bearing against the flared portion 10 of the strainer and having a cylindrical terminal 17, corresponding substantially in diameter with the internal diameter of the outl'low-pipe, which it is designed to snugly iit. The portion 17 is grooved or recessed to receive a countersunk external packing-ring 18, which forms an air and liquid tight joint between the same and the outllow-pipe. It will be understood that the terminal 17 is s'waged or 'flared out against the inner wall oi the out- `[low-pipe, which causes the packing-ring 18 to be lirmly pressed against said pipe and the said terminal and to thereby securely seal the joint between them. The portion 17 receives the lower cylindrical end of a couplinggasket 19, which is l'lared or tapered at its upper end to receive the lower tapered end 3 0r' the puinp-cylinder and forms an air and liquid tight closure between the same and the suction-tube.

In the operation of assembling the parts toruse the strainer 10 is lirst litted in the outflow-pipe and the upper end 10 thereof swaged, it' not previously ilared, into engagement with said pipe, after which the suctionpipe is lowered into the outiiow-pipe by means of suitable tackle engaging the gripping portion 15 and the plug, and the upper end 17 thereof is swaged into engagement with the outflow-pipe, and then the gasket and cylinder are applied, so that the parts will iit together in the manner shown. The bail 15 or the plug forms a fixture by which a hook or engaging device on the end of a rod or rope may be coupled to the suction-tube to conveniently lower it into the well or remove it therefrom. The construction described also adapts the suction-pipe for application to strainers varying in length within reasonable limits, as will be readily understood, thus securing greater convenience in the use, application, and removal and greater adaptability of the attachment to meet dil:- ferent contingencies oi service.

Upon the upstroke of the piston a partial vacuum is created in the cylinder, which causes the bottom check-valve 4 to open against the resistance oil its closing-spring 5 and a vacuum to be `formed in the suctionpipe, whereby water is caused to low `l'rom the bearing stratum into the strainer-tube 10. Upon the downstroke of the piston this water, which has previously passed through the check-valve into the lower end of the cylinder, passes through the piston and is discharged upon the ensuing upstroke oil the latter. Owing to the fact that the suctiontube communicates only at its lower end with the lower portion of the strainer and that the packing-ring 18 seals the attachment against the access of air thereto, a practically continuous partial vacuum will be maintained between the check-valve and the lower end of the suction-tube to cause a continuous inlet of the water thereto until the water ilows out or' the suction-tube into the cylinder, whereupon the suction-feeding operation will be repeated.

lt will be apparent that as the suctionpipe extends down into the strainer practically the full length of the latter the discharge of only a portion of the water from the upper end oi the strainer will be prevented, and practically all of the water contained within the strainer will be discharged through the suction-pipe and up into the cylinder upon each suction-stroke or' the piston, thereby leaving the strainer empty to receive the tree inlet of water thereto and increasing to a material extent the discharging capacity of the pump.

The sections or' the suction-tube may be connected in any preferred manner and the iixture 15 formed or applied therein in any other desired way.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new isl. In a well-pump, the combination with an outflow-pipe having pumping mechanism arranged therein, of a strainer fitted at its upper end in the outflow-pipe, a suction-tube arranged within the strainer and projecting at its upper end therefrom, said suction-tube being provided at its upper end with a flared portion bearing against the upper end of the strainer and a cylindrical portion provided with a packing bearing against the pipe, and a gasket litted within said cylindrical portion and forming a sealing connection between the suction-tube and pumping mechanism.

2. In a well-pump, the combination with a flow-pipe having pumping mechanism arranged therein, or' a strainer litted at its upper end within the flow-pipe, a suction-tube arranged within the strainer and projecting at its upper end above the upper end of the strainer and provided with a packing engaging the wall or' said pipe, and a sealing connection between said upper end of the tube and the cylinder of the pumping mechanism.

3. In a well-pump, the combination with a flow-pipe having pumping mechanism arranged therein, ot a strainer frictionally supported at its upper end within the flow-pipe, a suction-tube arranged within the strainer and extending above the same, the upper end of said tube having a trictional packing engagement with the wall of the pipe, and a sealing connection between the said upper end of the tube and the pumping mechanism.

4. In a well-pump, the combination of an outflow-pipe, a cylinder arranged therein and having an inwardly-tapered lower end7 a bottom check-valve and a working piston arranged in said cylinder, a strainer having its upper end outwardly flared and fitted in the outflow-pipe, a suction-tube extending upwardly through the strainer and having a iiared portion bearing on the flared end of the strainer and a cylindrical portion provided with packing bearing against the outflowpipe, and a coupling-gasket having a flared upper portion receiving the flared lower end of the cylinder and a cylindrical portion fitting within the cylindrical portion of the suction-tube.

5. In al well-pump7 the combination with a flow-pipe having pumping mechanism arranged therein7 of a strainer frictionally fitting at its upper end in the flow-pipe, a suction-tube arranged within the strainer and composed of longitudinally-adjustable sections, the upper section having its upper end projecting above the strainer and provided with a sealing-packing engaging the wall of the pipe, and a sealing connection between said upper end of the suction-tube and the cylinder of the pumping mechanism,

6.' In a well-pump, the combination of an outflow-pipe, a strainer, a suction-tube arranged therein, the upper ends of the strainer and suction-tube being fitted within the flow pipe for independent support therefrom, and a sealing connection between the upper end of the suction-tube and the cylinder of the pumping mechanism.

7. In a well-pump, the combination with an outflow-pipe having pumping mechanism arranged therein, of a strainer having its upper end fitted within the pipe, a longitudinally-adjustable suction-tube arranged within the strainer and having its upper end projecting above the same, the said upper end of the suction-tube being enlarged to form a coupling provided with a packing engaging the pipe, and a gasket forming a sealing connection between said coupling and the cylinder of the pumping mechanism.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AUGUSTUS LAFAYETTE llIEDLOCK.

Witnesses:

A. S. MEDLOCK, M. A. MEDLooK. 

